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Spider Ecology and Behaviour	This Special Issue contains an editorial and ten papers on a range of fundamental and applied topics within the area of spider ecology and behaviour with one paper on biological control, seven papers on fundamental topics within the broad areas of ecology and behaviour, and two papers focusing on novel methodologies for studying spider behaviour.
Plant DNA Barcodes, Community Ecology, and Species Interactions	The community of biologists has been eager to realize the promise of DNA barcodes since the concept was first proposed in 2003. As we approach twenty years of DNA barcoding, their application continues to increase, and methods continue to be developed that utilize this ever-expanding resource for multiple fields of biology. The nearly ten million DNA barcodes available today provide a database that is especially useful for ecology and evolutionary biology. Thanks to these large and well-curated DNA barcode resources, fundamental biological questions can be more rigorously addressed regarding community evolution, assembly, herbivory, pollination, and species interactions across and among diverse habitats and organisms, including plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. This reprint illustrates the wide variety of applications of DNA barcodes, especially in plants, to tackle research topics in ecology, evolutionary biology, plant–animal interactions, taxonomy, conservation, and ethnobotany.
Diversity of Coral-Associated Fauna	Coral reefs are acknowledged for the beauty of their organisms, which has made this natural ecosystem one of the most appreciated on Earth. It is believed to be the richest in terms of species diversity and species interactions, at least in theory since there is yet much documentation work to be done. Indeed, the paradox is that of the estimated one million species living in this ecosystem globally, only 10% of them have been described. To date, most of the coral reef studies have focused on the most peculiar and fabulous groups, such as corals and fishes, although most of the diversity is usually represented by small, colored, camouflaged, hidden, and crypto organisms from all kingdoms of life. The mystery of their diversity, ecology, biology, and importance in the functioning of coral reefs motivate many scientists to dive, all around the world, in order to discover, name, and appreciate such a fascinating, but unfortunately overlooked, component of nature. This book is a very nice illustration of the charm of the coral-associated fauna.
Transitioning to No Poverty	Transitioning to No Poverty is part of MDPI's new Open Access book series Transitioning to Sustainability. With this series, MDPI pursues environmentally and socially relevant research which contributes to efforts toward a sustainable world. Transitioning to Sustainability aims to add to the conversation about regional and global sustainable development according to the 17 SDGs. Set to be published in 2020/2021, the book series is intended to reach beyond disciplinary, even academic boundaries.
Meiofauna Biodiversity and Ecology	Sedimentary habitats cover the vast majority of the ocean floor and constitute the largest ecosystem on Earth. These systems supply fundamental services to human beings, such as food production and nutrient recycling. It is well known that meiofauna are an abundant and ubiquitous component of sediments, even though their biodiversity and importance in marine ecosystem functioning remain to be fully investigated. In this book, the meiofaunal biodiversity trends in marine habitats worldwide are documented, along with the collection of empirical evidence on their role in ecosystem services, such as the production, consumption, and decomposition of organic matter, and energy transfer to higher and lower trophic levels. Meiofaunal activities, like feeding and bioturbation, induce changes in several physico-chemical and biological properties of sediments, and might increase the resilience of the benthic ecosystem processes that are essential for the supply of ecosystem goods and services required by humans. As a key component of marine habitats, the taxonomical and functional aspects of the meiofaunal community are also used for the ecological assessment of the sediments’ quality status, providing important information on the anthropogenic impact of benthos.
Metabolites from Phototrophic Prokaryotes and Algae Volume 2	Microalgae are photosynthetic organisms with the ability to sequester and convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into high-value bioactives, and are therefore seen as a renewable and sustainable bioresource in the fields of biofuels, aquaculture and animal feeds, bioremediation of waste, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals and agriculture. Moreover, algae can adjust their metabolism according to surrounding growth conditions, and this metabolic flexibility can be exploited in industrial biotechnology with genetic and metabolic engineering, when compared to other photosynthetic organisms. The metabolome is the result of the combined effects of genetic and environmental influences on metabolic processes. Metabolomic studies can provide a global view of metabolism and thereby improve our understanding of the underlying biology. Advances in metabolomic technologies have shown utility for elucidating the mechanisms which underlie fundamental biological processes, including disease pathology. This book represents research papers based around metabolomics, to improve knowledge on the metabolome and metabolism in algae, with a focus on carbon and nitrogen resource allocation. It also describes many bioanalytical techniques and emphasizes their usefulness in microalgal biotechnology. Other aspects from an ecological, biotechnological and waste-water remediation perspective are also covered.
Ecology and Conservation of Parrots in Their Native and Non-Native Ranges	This book focuses on parrots, which are among the most fascinating, attractive, and threatened birds, combining and synthesizing recent research on the biology, ecology, and conservation of both native and non-native parrot populations across the world.
Otoliths and Their Applications in Fishery Science	This reprint focuses on fish otoliths, as one of the most useful and important biological structures for fishery scientists and managers around the world. Collected papers cover several different research areas, from the otolith macro- to the microstructure and microchemistry, analyzing different types of otoliths and investigating various freshwater and marine species in their larval, juvenile and adult stages. Special attention is given to different approaches in otolith research and to many practical applications of such studies. The obtained data served to determine the age and growth of individual fish; to study habitat interactions, migration patterns, or habitats that the fish live in; to detect water temperatures or the presence of certain pollutants in the environment; and to reveal all other vital information about the life history of the fish.
Polyphenols in Crops, Medicinal and Wild Edible Plants	This Special Issue "Polyphenols in Crops, Medicinal and Wild Edible Plants: From Their Metabolism to Their Benefits for Human Health" presents recent studies dealing with polyphenols isolated from different food sources in terms of nutraceutical, ethnobotanical, and pharmaceutical properties. The most recent techniques of analyses were used, e.g., high throughout metabolomics analyses as well as polyphenol-based fingerprinting to generate metabolic markers. The benefits of polyphenol extracts and isolated phenolic moieties related to human pathologies were also investigated.
Diversity of Coral-Associated Fauna II	Coral reefs are one of the most diverse types of ecosystems on Earth and one of the richest in terms of species interactions. This Special Issue aims to elucidate the hidden diversity of coral reefs through the description of new associations involving coral reef framework taxa.
Food Chains and Food Webs in Aquatic Ecosystems	Food webs describe the structure of communities and their energy flows, and they represent interactions between species in ecosystems. Recently, we have witnessed rapid development of techniques for both experimental studies and theoretical/computational studies on food webs as well as species interactions. This reprint book is focused on food chains and food webs in aquatic ecosystems, with seven papers published in the corresponding Special Issue of Applied Sciences. The topics include empirical studies on food chains and food webs as well as effects of environmental factors on organisms in aquatic ecosystems.
Faunistical and Ecological Studies on Carabid Beetles	In this paper on the distribution of carabids at high altitudes, the effect of Nature 2000 habitat and landform types in driving ground beetle (Carabidae) distribution at high altitudes in the Western Dolomites (Brenta group, Italy) was studied. Papers studying carabid beetles in forested habitats investigated the effect of different stand composition (pure oak stands, oak–pine mixed stands, single tree admixtures of oak in pine stands, and pure pine stands) on the abundance and spatial distribution of large-sized Carabus species, as well as the effect of forest type (broad-leaved deciduous forests vs. coniferous plantations) on the diversity and community composition of ground beetles; furthermore, the effect of various forest edges (natural vs. anthropogenic edges) on the abundance of ground beetles of different habitat affinity and dispersal power was examined. The paper on predation pressure aimed to explore the predation pressure on carabids using 3D-printed decoys installed in two types of forestry treatments, preparation cuts and clear cuts, and control plots in an oak–hornbeam forest.
Quantum Information Concepts in Open Quantum Systems	This issue contains contributions in different cutting edge topics within the field of open quantum systems. The theoretical work presented is focused, in particular, on quantum thermodynamics and quantum non-Markovianity and provides a window into current research in these fields. Different perspectives are considered that share a common root in the exploitation of open quantum systems and quantum information tools.
Multinational Enterprises, Sustainability and Innovation	This Special Issue on MNEs, sustainability, and innovation contains a collection of 13 papers that address several subjects that are on related themes. The authors of these contributions study the boundaries of the previous literature on these relevant topics by providing insightful findings and review, as well as proposals for future research ideas in various contexts. For this Special Issue, we invited both conceptual and (qualitative and quantitative) empirical articles, as well as literature reviews and meta-analysis articles from a range of fields; these included not only business and management, but also sociology, political science, psychology, economics, and economic geography, among others.
Composites from Recycled and Modified Woods	Recycled woods obtained from old buildings, furniture, industrial products, etc., as well as from modified woods prepared by thermal, chemical, or biological processes, have the potential to be a base or complementary raw material for construction and decorative wood composites used mostly in buildings, furniture, and for transport. Typical construction composites are glued prisms and boards (e.g., glulam, blockboard), glued large-area boards from veneers (e.g., plywood, laminated veneer lumber), or large-area boards from wood particles and fibers (e.g., particleboard, oriented strand board, medium-density fiberboard). More of the large-area boards can obtain a better decorative function usable in furniture and building architecture after veneering, lamination, coating, plasma-treating or other surface-treating technologies.Within this Special Issue, selected articles related primarily to wood composites prepared from recycled and modified woods are presented with a focus on the type and properties of used raw materials, additives, and technological processes, including finishing and surface treatments, with an impact on the resulting properties and service-life of wood composites in different use scenarios.
Assessment of Different Contaminants in Freshwater	In many parts of the world, freshwater is a subject of frequent and intense large-scale disturbances. Pollution, water withdrawal, alteration of freshwater flows, road construction, aquifer mining, surface water diversion, desertification, wetland drainage, soil erosion in agriculture, deforestation, and dam building have led to some irreversible species losses and severe changes in community compositions of freshwater ecosystems. Pollution represents one of the most relevant impacts on freshwater environments, ranging from surface water bodies—such as springs, streams, rivers, lakes, and intermittent waterbodies—to groundwater and transitional habitats between surface waters and groundwaters. The origins and fates of pollutants are different and depend on various pollutants, including fertilizers with pesticides in agricultural areas, heavy metals, chlorinated organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are predominantly derived from industrial and urban settlements. Another pollutant is microplastics, which can increase in concentration in freshwater bodies and constitute emerging contaminants in freshwater systems when taken together with pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PCPs), and endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). The broad distribution of several pollutants leads to significant changes of freshwater ecosystems, together with the extinction of the most sensitive species or the drastic lowering in abundances of others, thus altering community compositions and the ecosystem services provided by freshwater biodiversity.
The Metabolism of Islands	This book makes the case for why we should care about islands and their sustainability. Islands are hotspots of biocultural diversity and home to 600 million people that depend on one-sixth of the earth’s total area, including the surrounding oceans, for their subsistence. Today, they are at the frontlines of climate change and face an existential crisis. Islands are, however, potential “hubs of innovation” that are uniquely positioned to be leaders in sustainability and climate action. This volume argues that a full-fledged program on “island industrial ecology” is urgently needed, with the aim of offering policy-relevant insights and strategies to sustain small islands in an era of global environmental change. The nine contributions in this volume cover a wide range of applications of socio-metabolic research, from flow accounts to stock analysis and their relationship to services in space and time. They offer insights into how reconfiguring patterns of resource use will allow island governments to build resilience and adapt to the challenges of climate change.
Urban Ecosystem Services II: Toward a Sustainable Future	The school of thought surrounding the urban ecosystem has increasingly become in vogue among researchers worldwide. Since half of the world’s population lives in cities, urban ecosystem services have become essential to human health and wellbeing. Rapid urban growth has forced sustainable urban developers to rethink important steps by updating and, to some degree, recreating the human–ecosystem service linkage.Assessing as well as estimating the losses of ecosystem services can denote the essential effects of urbanization and increasingly indicate where cities fall short. This second book on urban ecosystem services contains 11 thoroughly refereed contributions published within the Special Issue “Urban Ecosystem Services II: Toward a Sustainable Future”. The book addresses topics such as cultural ecosystem services, green infrastructure, urban trees, urban green spaces, and more. The contributions highlight current knowledge, gaps, and future research with the focus on building a sustainable future.
Ecology of Predation and Scavenging and the Interface	Predation and scavenging are pervasive ecological interactions in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. The ecology, evolution and conservation of predators and scavengers have received wide scientific attention and public awareness. However, the close connection that exists between predation and scavenging has not been emphasized until very recently. The recognition that carnivorous animals may obtain meat by either hunting prey or scavenging their carcasses has profound implications from individual behavior to population, community and ecosystem levels. However, many relevant questions still remain unexplored. This book deals with some of these questions, with the final aim to definitively dismiss the traditional view that predation and scavenging are disconnected ecological processes. This compendium of science may help to inspire ecologists, evolutionary biologists, paleontologists, anthropologists, epidemiologists, forensic scientists, anatomists, and, of course, conservation biologists in their stimulating and promising endeavor of achieving a more comprehensive understanding of carnivory in a rapidly changing world.
Cultural Landscapes Preservation and Social–Ecological Sustainability	Cultural landscapes are the result of social-ecological processes that have co-evolved throughout history, shaping high-value sustainable systems. The current processes of global change, such as agricultural intensification, rural abandonment, urban sprawl, and socio-economic dynamics, are threatening cultural landscapes worldwide. Whereas this loss is often unstoppable due to rapid and irreversible social-ecological changes, there are also examples where rationale protection measures can preserve cultural landscapes while promoting the sustainability of social-ecological systems. However, not all conservation policy-making processes consider the value of cultural landscapes, which makes their preservation even more difficult. Indeed, conservation policies focused on the wilderness paradigm are often counterproductive to conserving highly valuable cultural landscapes. The chapters in this book cover a wide spectrum of topics related to the preservation and sustainability of cultural landscapes, using different methodological approaches and involving regions from all over the world. This book can be useful for both researchers and professionals interested in using the socio-ecological framework in their scientific and applied work.
Faith after the Anthropocene	Recent decades have brought to light the staggering ubiquity of human activity upon Earth and the startling fragility of our planet and its life systems. This is so momentous that many scientists and scholars now argue that we have left the relative climactic stability of the Holocene and have entered a new geological epoch known as the Anthropocene. This emerging epoch may prompt us not only to reconsider our understanding of Earth systems, but also to reimagine ourselves and what it means to be human. How does the Earth’s precarious state reveal our own? How does this vulnerable condition prompt new ways of thinking and being? The essays that are part of this collection consider how the transformative thinking demanded by our vulnerability inspires us to reconceive our place in the cosmos, alongside each other and, potentially, before God. Who are we “after” (the concept of) the Anthropocene? What forms of thought and structures of feeling might attend us in this state? How might we determine our values and to what do we orient our hopes? Faith, a conceptual apparatus for engaging the unseen, helps us weigh the implications of this massive, but in some ways, mysterious, force on the lives we lead; faith helps us visualize what it means to exist in this new and still emergent reality.
Thermal and Optical Remote Sensing: Evaluating Urban Green Spaces and Urban Heat Islands in a Changing Climate	This reprint focuses on the theoretical principles and practical adoption of remote sensing approaches and datasets in understanding the nexus between urbanization, natural landscapes, urban micro-climate, climate change and Urban Heat Islands. Urbanization, characterized by natural landscape transformation, influences thermodynamics, surface energy and micro- and macro climate perturbations. These changes result in environmental deterioration that in turn adversely affects bio-physical processes and quality of urban life. A major consequence of urbanization is the Urban Heat Island (UHI). It is anticipated that the increased UHIs, in concert with the increasing anthropogenic activities, will further increase the vulnerability of urban landscapes to climate-related disasters such as floods and heatwaves. Recent advances in optical and thermal remotely sensed datasets offer great potential in understanding the relationship between urban bio-physical characteristics and UHIs. Hence, this reprint provides a basis for understanding urban ecological and thermal patterns, which is critical for the management of urban physical, ecological and social processes within a remotely sensed data framework. This reprint should be of interest to both specialists and generalists interested in, among other fields, urban planning, ecological conservation, the urban micro-climate, and climate change.
Asymmetry Indexes, Behavioural Instability and the Characterization of Behavioural Patterns	The structure of sequential behavior and its patterns have attracted the attention of researchers from various disciplines, such as game theory, human and animal behavior, evolutionary ecology, psychology, behavioral economy, and cognitive sciences. Sequential behavior seems to be involved in the processes of sequential learning, decision-making processes, and exploratory behavior. There are, however, competing hypotheses regarding the mechanisms involved in the complexity of the behavioral responses of organisms when exposed to changing environments. The behavioral response to different environmental conditions is often utilized in behavioral ecology studies, where the changes in behavior are quantified in terms of probability of dispersal, distance, and speed of movements or time budget, where the time spent on different activities (foraging, resting, explore, etc.) is registered and analyzed in terms of cost–benefit. This book represents a series of articles covering a broad spectrum of organisms and proposes the analysis of sequential behavior utilizing indices commonly applied in the estimation of developmental instability (fluctuating asymmetry, directional asymmetry, and antisymmetry) toward estimating the degree of “Behavioral Instability”. Deviations from symmetry will be interpreted in ecological and evolutionary terms, where the cost and benefits of changes of the degree of behavioral instability will be analyzed in terms of overall costs and benefits and its evolutionary significance. Presented in this collection are multidisciplinary studies (theoretical and computational as well as experimental and empirical approaches) that validate the proposed approach and pave the way for future investigation in the novel field of what is best described as behavioral instability.
The Age of Sustainability	With transitions to more sustainable ways of living already underway, this book examines how we understand the underlying dynamics of the transitions that are unfolding. Without this understanding, we enter the future in a state of informed bewilderment. Every day we are bombarded by reports about ecosystem breakdown, social conflict, economic stagnation and a crisis of identity. There is mounting evidence that deeper transitions are underway that suggest we may be entering another period of great transformation equal in significance to the agricultural revolution some 13,000 years ago or the Industrial Revolution 250 years ago. This book helps readers make sense of our global crisis and the dynamics of transition that could result in a shift from the industrial epoch that we live in now to a more sustainable and equitable age. The global renewable energy transition that is already underway holds the key to the wider just transition. However, the evolutionary potential of the present also manifests in the mushrooming of ecocultures, new urban visions, sustainability-oriented developmental states and new ways of learning and researching. Shedding light on the highly complex challenge of a sustainable and just transition, this book is essential reading for anyone concerned with establishing a more sustainable and equitable world. Ultimately, this is a book about hope but without easy answers.
Phytophthora Infestations in Forest Ecosystems	The oomycete genus Phytophthora represents one of the most notorious groups of tree pathogens in natural and semi-natural forest ecosystems. Since the discovery in the 1960s of the invasive P. cinnamomi, threatening some of the world’s richest plant communities in Australia, numerous Phytophthora diseases have been reported on forest trees worldwide, which were previously unknown to science. The most notable examples include the oak and beech declines triggered by different Phytophthora spp. in Europe and North America, the findings of sudden oak death and sudden larch death caused by P. ramorum in the Western USA and the U.K., respectively, and the association of P. austrocedri with mal del ciprés in Argentina and juniper decline in the U.K. All these epidemic events are driven by exotic invasive Phytophthora species, introduced through infested nursery plants from their native overseas environments. In recent years, many independent surveys have studied the diversity of Phytophthora species and the diseases they are causing across a diverse range of forests and other natural ecosystems. This Special Issue presents papers on Phytophthora surveys performed in different biogeographic regions and addresses the pathways, and ecological and economic impacts of these invasive forest pathogens.
Marine Fungus	Most of the available studies on marine fungi are based on the isolation and identification of fungi from different surfaces (e.g., submerged wood, sediments, macrophytes), mostly in coastal benthic environments. However, recent evidence suggests that fungi are also present in the oceanic water column, most likely mainly associated to particles, with the genomic potential to significantly contribute to marine biogeochemical cycles. Still, we lack even basic information on the ecology of the oceanic mycobiome, precluding us from determining the ecological role of this enigmatic kingdom in our oceans. The aim of this book and Special Issue was to focus on the ecology of marine fungi. Topics include, fungal abundance, distribution, activity, and phylogenetic and/or functional diversity in coastal to open ocean environments, including seawater column and sediments, derived both from laboratory and field studies.
Modeling of Species Distribution and Biodiversity in Forests	Understanding the patterns of biodiversity and their relationship with environmental gradients is a key issue in ecological research and conservation in forests. Several environmental factors can influence species distributions in these complex ecosystems. It is therefore important to distinguish the effects of natural factors from the anthropogenic ones (e.g., environmental pollution, climate change, and forest management) by adopting reliable models able to predict future scenarios of species distribution. In the last 20 years, the use of statistical tools, such as Species Distribution Models (SDM) or Ecological Niche Models (ENM), allowed researchers to make great strides in the subject, with hundreds of scientific research works in this field. This book collects several research articles where these methodological approaches are the starting point to deepen the knowledge in many timely and emerging topics in forest ecosystems around the world, from Eurasia to America.
Advances in Heart Electrotherapy	The introduction of permanent cardiac pacing in the late 1950s began the era of cardiac electrotherapy. In the 1980s, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) were introduced. These advances created new challenges for cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). Right ventricular pacing was the primary breakthrough; however, over the years, it has become apparent that it can induce cardiac contraction dyssynchrony. Biventricular pacing allowed for the alleviation of dyssynchrony and improved the survival of patients with heart failure and bundle branch block. In recent decades, His bundle pacing has become a new strategy for physiological ventricular activation. However, the use of CIEDs carries several risks, e.g., complications related to transvenous leads. This led to the development of percutaneous lead extraction techniques as well as the introduction of a subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD) and leadless pacing. Technological evolution promises an exciting future in the development of cardiac electrotherapy.In this Special Issue, readers can find out about the clinical and hemodynamic aspects of right ventricular, His bundle, and biventricular pacing; ICD therapy; treatment of complications and technological advances in cardiac electrotherapy.
Ecosystem Observation, Simulation and Assessment	This reprint focuses on ecosystem observation, simulation and assessment. Ecosystems provide supply, regulation, culture and support services for human beings in addition to overall support human survival and sustainable development. However, driven by multiple factors such as climate change, population growth, urbanization, and exploitation of mineral resources, global problems such as ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss have affected the sustainable development of human beings. Because of this, it has become a hot spot in ecology research to develop basic theories, model methods and technical means for ecosystem observation, simulation and evaluation for the quantitative analysis of the structure, process and function of ecosystems as well as the improvement of the scientific understanding of the changing characteristics and evolution laws of natural ecosystems.
Soil Carbon, Nitrogen Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation under Global Change	Global change induced extreme climate events are becoming more common than ever. Soil carbon and nitrogen pools correlated significantly with changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas. Large increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases, majorly carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, can enhance the heating of atmosphere, which will be generally followed by global warming. Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions including various strategies, such as the sequestrations of carbon and nitrogen in soil, plant or ecosystems, efficient management of agricultural and forestry ecosystems, mitigation of ecosystem carbon and nitrogen leaching, etc. The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from all kinds of sources will be therefore crucial in mitigation of global climate change.This reprint gathered latest case studies and methodologies, including, but not limited to measurement and mitigation strategies of carbon and nitrogen pools in soil, plant, or ecosystems, and greenhouse gas emissions, will substantially improve our understanding of the potential, ability, and capacity of ecosystems in mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and hence global climate change. This reprint can be used by colleagues working on global climate change, ecology, agriculture, forestry and policy makers associated with global change. Chapters included in this reprint were contributed by colleagues from China, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, etc. It can be used in most countries in the world.
New Processes	A change from a consumer society to a sustainable and conserver society must focus on for the welfare of the planet and future generations through balance rather than by maximizing the exploitation of resources. This will bring about further growth as an option for both per capita consumption and the population. Muddled and tepid responses make it clear that the society has not developed a vision of what a truly sustainable society looks like. It is essential to bring awareness to the possibility of creating a sustainable society which will incorporate sustainable development goals (SDGs) to generate a future with more possibilities. In order to move towards a sustainable society, it is vital to provide the highest standard of wellbeing, from an environmental, human, and economic perspective. We can contribute by providing technical and scientific studies that can be accessed freely and implemented by all. These works cover the important parameters that can be addressed to achieve sustainability, such as being energetically sustainable, resource-sustainable, environmentally sustainable, fiscally sustainable, and socially sustainable.
The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems	The relationship between human beings and the ecological environment poses a significant global challenge for the present and the future. As human–environment interactions become more complex, it is essential to measure and understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of coupled human–environment systems and how they are influenced by social and ecological factors. This reprint offers twenty original research articles that explore the latest developments in monitoring and projecting the spatiotemporal changes of the coupled system, examining the responses of the coupled system to socio-ecological drivers and processes, and discussing the implications for the sustainable management of the coupled system.
Larval Settlement on Marine Surfaces	Selected studies focussing on various aspects of the evaluation of marine larval settlement on both natural and artificial surfaces, including those on pro-fouling and anti-fouling systems, have been collected for advancing our understanding of larvae–surface interactions. Biofouling is a large problem worldwide since it often causes severe damage to submerged structures, but it also leads to the formation of a well-structured community on natural hard substrata characterised by ecological succession and can be considered an important source of biodiversity. Therefore, the influence of a substratum’s physico-chemical interactions on the settlement of various organisms of the macrofouling community represents an essential factor in choosing an appropriate artificial surface for application in a variety of coastal marine ecosystems. This reprint will certainly be greatly beneficial with respect to addressing the challenges of future innovative eco-engineering designs, yielding the best solutions for industrial biofouling protection and coastal ecosystem preservation.
Hidden Depths	In Hidden Depths, Professor Penny Spikins explores how our emotional connections have shaped human ancestry.  Focusing on three key transitions in human origins, Professor Spikins explains how the emotional capacities of our early ancestors evolved in response to ecological changes, much like similar changes in other social mammals. For each transition, dedicated chapters examine evolutionary pressures, responses in changes in human emotional capacities and the archaeological evidence for human social behaviours. Starting from our earliest origins, in Part One, Professor Spikins explores how after two million years ago, movement of human ancestors into a new ecological niche drove new types of collaboration, including care for vulnerable members of the group. Emotional adaptations lead to cognitive changes, as new connections based on compassion, generosity, trust and inclusion also changed our relationship to material things. Part Two explores a later key transition in human emotional capacities occurring after 300,000 years ago. At this time changes in social tolerance allowed ancestors of our own species to further reach out beyond their local group and care about distant allies, making human communities resilient to environmental changes. An increasingly close relationship to animals, and even to cherished possessions, appeared at this time, and can be explained through new human vulnerabilities and ways of seeking comfort and belonging. Lastly, Part Three focuses on the contrasts in emotional dispositions arising between ourselves and our close cousins, the Neanderthals. Neanderthals are revealed as equally caring yet emotionally different humans, who might, if things had been different, have been in our place today. This new narrative breaks away from traditional views of human evolution as exceptional or as a linear progression towards a more perfect form. Instead, our evolutionary history is situated within similar processes occurring in other mammals, and explained as one in which emotions, rather than ‘intellect’, were key to our evolutionary journey. Moreover, changes in emotional capacities and dispositions are seen as part of differing pathways each bringing strengths, weaknesses and compromises. These hidden depths provide an explanation for many of the emotional sensitivities and vulnerabilities which continue to influence our world today.
Aquatic Insects	Insects have successfully inhabited all freshwater habitats on Earth and are often the most diverse and abundant species in streams and ponds. With a disproportionally high species richness compared to the area covered by freshwaters, aquatic insects represent a hotspot of diversity. They play crucial roles in aquatic food webs as primary consumers, detritivores, and predators, but they also represent an important food resource for aquatic and terrestrial predators. Many aquatic insect orders, such as mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies, include taxa that are highly sensitive to habitat alterations, reflecting the health of the overall aquatic ecosystem. This feature is exploited by many scientists and practitioners around the world for water and environment quality monitoring. Despite their importance in term of diversity, ecosystem services and bioindication, many aquatic insect species are critically endangered, mainly due to anthropogenic pressures on freshwaters and climate change. Although the research efforts on aquatic insects tremendously increased during the 21st century, much is still left undiscovered. This Special Issue addresses existing knowledge gaps and increases our understanding of taxonomic diversity and phylogeny, distribution patterns, and community ecology of aquatic insects through 15 new studies that cover most of the aquatic insect orders over a wide geographic range. In a context of rapid global biodiversity loss, accelerating the acquisition of both fundamental and applied knowledge is crucial.